I grew 2 from seed (rich tooie seed)… planted them in the fall (in a large planter pot)… they sprouted up the next spring… and grew to be 42 and 36 inch tall that first season.
I left them in the pot that winter… outside… but brought them into the garage on the coldest few nights that winter.
Early that next spring like mid Feb… i planted them in my orchard… and when they started sending out small leaves… I grafted Nakitas Gift to the smaller one and Kasandra to the larger one.
Both successful… they are 6-8 ft tall trees now (with pruning) and developing scaffold branches.
That may not be the best way to do it… but it worked for me.
PS… everyone may not get 42 inches of growth from a persimmon the first season. They seem to grow extra well here.
Do you water or fertilizer them frequently or just let mother nature takes care of them? The DV persimmons I grow from seeds for rootstocks are at most 2 ft by the 2nd year.
Can confirm, persimmon grows exceptionally well here. My only qualification is that our local persimmons are 60 chromosome which seem to be both highly adapted and faster growing than 90 chromosome species. Just about anything grafted on a vigorous rapidly growing rootstock is going to grow fast.
Thanks. I will plan on overwintering in my attached garage and then planting early spring (maybe mid-March) any that are 3/16" or larger. I’ll keep the smaller ones in the tree pots for another year. Then w/t graft the transplanted ones when they have squirrels ears.
I think the 90 chromosones are slower growing than 60 or hybrids. The seedlings from seeds I saved at last years England’s Orchard tours are twice the size of the pure 90’s.
Still chugging along. This dormant on succulent green graft has budded out the most so far of my 21 persimmon grafts. Could be coincidence, unsure. This one is DEC Goliath, btw.
After the photo, I removed the weakest of the three buds. Eventually, I may remove a second - this needs to grow up 4 more feet of tube before i want it branching out. Unsure if I’ll do this for all the trees though.
well the 35 seeds that were sent to me from you fine folks all sprouted as well as most of my dunstan chestnuts. still waiting on the butternuts. they are all in 6’’ x 6’’ pots. should i plant these out this fall or repot for another season?
maybe someone can shed some light…planted 2 native persimmons 7 years ago…one incredibly got run over by a delivery truck trying to turn around in (off) my driveway a year after planting…the other has grown to a now approx 13 foot tree…I can’t recall the varieties I planted but I think one of them was Prok. Is there any way to tell from a picture (I can provide) if it is Prok and can I expect any fruit from the single tree if it indeed is Prok?..I read on the web where Prok is at least partially self fertile…if so, should I have some developing fruit on the tree now in its 7th year?
Size and shape of fruit will help answer your question re variety. No, persimmons are not consistent in producing fruit. 7 years maybe, some varieties and conditions might take 15 or more years.
Pretty much all of the named cultivars, including Prok, are known to be parthenocarpic and will produce fruit without pollination. In fact, this is usually desired, as without pollination, the fruit will be free of seeds.
The fruit quality of Asian persimmons (D. kaki) is generally considered to be improved by pollination, and to some, it is therefore worth it despite the seeds. However, I haven’t heard it claimed that native persimmons (D. virginiana) are improved by seeds.
On the topic of seeds in persimmon , I am convinced that PCNA persimmons are dramatically improved by pollination as are PVNA. I didn’t notice any improvement with PCA, hybrid or Virginiana.
I grafted scion of Prok last spring to a wild persimmon seedling here at my place. It grew well… and late winter I pruned it and cut some notches for scaffold branch development.
It actually had 4 or 5 blossoms this spring which developed into fruit. All of those except one dropped off though.
This is what my one Prok persimmon looks like.
Can any of you that are experienced with prok fruit confirm that this one looks right for prok ?
…thanks much…I’m going to go out and see if I can find any fruit on my one 7 year old persimmon tree…will take a picture if I find any…Ron
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…OK back from my persimmon tree…sorry for the poor conformation but the tree has not been touched for the seven years it’s been in the ground…could not do an extensive scan as I can’t stay on my feet long…But, I definitely have persimmons…LOTS!..say hallelujah…say amen…very small at this point but they are all over the lower branches that I can see…Dutchess County NY Zone 6A
@ramv – Have you observed this for a variety of PCNAs? I ask because Fuyu appears to have 1 PVNA allele and displays some PVNA behavior (e.g., colored flesh) when seeded. Some other PCNAs also appear to have PVNA genetics. For example, Izu (a Fuyu child) appears to have two PVNA alleles. Okugosho appears to have one PVNA allele. But others such a Jiro do not appear to have any PVNA genetics.
My inferences re PVNA genes are based on the published results of breeding experiments. Somebody with more expertise in genetics might tell me I’m crazy but these statements reflect my reasoning as to what the genetics of the parents must be to produce observed results in crosses.
